Wonderwall

Self-Made Celebs

Don't assume that all celebs achieved their fame as a result of being someone's son or daughter or niece or nephew. Some had to overcome inauspicious beginnings to get where they are now. Take a look at some inspirational folks who went from Average Joe to A-lister through hard work and good, old-fashioned gumption.

Considering how huge Carrey was in the '90s, it's hard to believe that he toiled in show business for more than a decade before he found major success. He began as a stand-up comedian back in 1979, and, as this Salon.com article notes, wrote himself a check for $10 million in 1987, dating it November 1995. He ended up making good on the promise: "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" made Carrey a star in 1994, and subsequent million-dollar movie offers followed.